Glanodel
Glanodel is a racially diverse region where one can find a multitude of fascinating people, thought most races due tend towards unintentional segregation. From the dwarves of the mighty mountains to the elves of the elegant forests, life is abundant here with uniqueness. All races have many differences, and they are not always willing to work together; though the most difficult to work with are undoubtedly the humans, who are also the dominant and most abundant sapient life in this area. Plus, humans are able to adapt to their environment quicker than any other race and utilize almost any type of land, holding virtually no preference towards any particular type of home. There are currently hundreds and hundreds of civilizations, all unique and at least slightly different from the last. Human kingdoms currently claim the largest amount of land in the region, more than two-thirds of the land mass in this region. Elves and dwarves are the second two most wide-spread, the dwarves claim the mountains and a large portion of their depths and the elves have the forests and their vast spread of tall trees and hidden rivers. None of the other races settle and make civilizations to the extent that the elves, humans, and dwarves do. For instance, gnomes usually find good places among the civilizations of others or small areas deep in hilly areas, while halflings never settle, always travelling, and taking advantage of the plentiful resources of their neighbors. 5 Major Races There are currently 5 major races in Glanodel, humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halflings. Humans are the most widespread, they have also shown themselves able to breed with other races other than their own, and half-elves and even half-orcs have become a noticeably common occurance. Below is a list of the dominant races linked to sources of more information. *Humanity *Elves *Dwarves *Gnomes *Halflings Religion in Glanodel Religion has a great deal of influence over the world, since scientific understanding is at a minimum for the time being. Most everyone believes that either multiple, or at least one, god exists. The general consensus of the time is also that all deities exist in some way, but are susceptible to the power and influence of another deity that could depose them, which is the leading explanation for why religions die out, their god was conquered by a more powerful deity. Only among humans has a faith arisen and gained as much influence as the religion of Insolity now possesses among humankind across Glanodel. Among elves, dwarves, and other races, religion is not as influential politically but has more to do with just everyday life, attitudes, and morals. Currently religion takes on several forms though the dominant form still present on the planet is a polytheistic (multiple gods), naturalistic (worship of beings personifying nature), unorganized (individual centers for worship holding no official or enforced ties to one another) faith which only holds influence over local politics and only serves as a personal spirituality for the individual adherents, without a pressure to exclude the possible validity/existence of other faiths. However, since the rise of humanity’s newest faith Insolity, the world has seen the rise of organized religion, which in great contrast to its predecessors, wields an enormous amount of influence politically, socially, and even economically. Elven and dwarven religions were the first, since they were the first races Glanodel, and since their inception have remained relatively unchanged. Elven worship nature, which because of their nature, they are compelled to surround themselves with. Most every aspect of nature has a spirit which oversees that component nature’s existence. Dwarves engage in a type of ancestral worship accompanied by a handful of gods that protect and aid the deceased in their afterlife. This religion has evolved very little since its creation, and while it is not an organized religion, it is very uniform and consistent throughout all of dwarven society in most every city or mining encampments. Most every faith is a product of the race and society that created and practices it. If you want more info on a particular faith and its influence, just select one from the list below. Practiced Faiths *Solity *Nor-Hurian Mysticism *Ynmish Mysticism *Dwarven Ancestralism *Elven Naturalism *Qerimism *The Wandering Gods